Attachment for box-covering machines



1951 M. v. SILBY 2,574,127

ATTACHMENT FOR BOX-COVERING MACHINES Filed Dec. 5, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. MARTIN V. SILBY BY W fW Attor-n eys Nov. 6, 1951 M. v. SlLBY 2,574,127

ATTACHMENT FOR BOX-COVERING MACHINES Filed Dec. 5, 194"] 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. MAR-rm V. SILBY Attorneys Nov. 6, 1951 M. v. SILBY ATTACHMENT FOR BOX-COVERING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 5, 1947 FIG-.12

INVENTOR. MARTIN V. SILBY IIIIIiIIl Patented Nov. 6, 1951 UNITED STATES T'NT OFFICE The invention relates to attachments for boxcovering machines of the type described in U. S. Patent No. 691,329, issued January 14, 1902, to Smith, and in my co-pending application in the United States Patent Ofiice, bearing Serial Number 789,877, filed December 5, 1947.

The general object'of the invention is to provide a novel and practical attachment for a ma-' chine of this type'for the purpose of adapting the machine to operate to cover a box shell which is shaped like an octagonal prism.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means in such attachment whereby the side-wall-forming parts of the cover blank.

may be accurately folded over the outside of the shell and positively affixed thereto.

A further object is to provide improved means in such an attachment whereby corner-lapping tabs of certain side-wall-forming parts of the cover blank may be accurately and positivelyaffixed to the outer side-wall corners of the shell having the shape of an octagonal prism.

A-still further object is to provide improved means for turning, or tucking, in the edges or.

margins of side-wall-forming parts of a cover blank which project above the top edges of the side-walls of a shell having the shape of an octagonal prism.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of one'assembly of parts of the attachment of the present invention, being that assembly arranged to fold and affix corner-tabs of side-wall-forming parts of the cover blank to the outer side-wallcorners of a shell having the shape of an octagonal prism.v

shape obtaining when the blank is properly affixed to such a shell. In thisfigure the shell is absent for the specific purpose of illustrating the exterior and interior aspects 'of thefoldedcover blank. v 1 f f.

4 Claims. (01. 9s 54.2)

Fig. 4 is atop plan view of another assembly of parts of the attachment of the present in-. vention, being that assembly arranged to fold and'afiix certain, i. e., four, side-wall-forming parts of the cover blank (e. g., the cover blank of Figs. 2 and 3) to the outer side-walls of a shell of the shape described. This figure illustrates that stage of a box covering operation on a machine of the type described modified by the attachment of the present invention obtaining just after each alternate side-wall-forming cover blank are seen to be provided with corner lapping tabs (cf; Fig. 2). The box covering machine itself is not shown in this figure.

Fig. 5is a top plan view of another assembly of parts of the attachment of the present invention, being that assembly of parts arranged to fold and affix certain, i. e., four, side-wall-forming' parts of the cover blank (e. g., the cover blank of Figs. 2 and 3) to the outer side-walls of a shell of the shape described. This figure illustrates that stage of a box covering operation on a machine of the type described modified by the attachment of the present invention obtaining'just after each alternate side-wall-forming part of'a cover blank such as that of Figs. 2 and 3 has been folded upwardly and aflixed to an alternate face of the outer side-wall of the shell.

These alternate side-wall-forming parts of the cover blank arenot those having corner-lapping tabs. Thus the operational stage illustrated in this figure is subsequent to that illustrated in I Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the operative edges, in normal, or inoperative position, of specially designed turn in, or tuck in, fingers (of. U. S.

I Patents Nos. 753,524 and 1,424,316, both of which describe and show such fingers as ordinartly .ar-

ranged for use where the box shell is a right parallelopiped forming part of the attachment of the present invention.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of part of the shell having the shape of an octagonal prism, and shows part of a belt or strap usually provided for the purpose of holding the shell in shape during a covering operation.

Fig.8 isa perspective view from above of a insignia 3 finished box having the shape of an octagonal prism.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of a corner of a box such as that in Fig. 8 with portions of two adjacent side-wall-forming parts of the cover blank torn away to show a portion of corner-lapping tab of one such part (which is overlapped by the other part in the finished box) and also to show the belt, abovementioned, and the shell itself.

Fig. 10 is a top plan view of the assembly of parts of theattachment which is also illustrated in Fig. 1; however, in this figure (i. e., Fig. 10), the assembly is shown in its extreme operative position. Those elements of the box-covering machine appearing in Fig. 1 also appear in Fig. 10.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary perspective view of abox such as shown in Fig. 8 in process ofbelng.

covered. No parts of the attachment or boxcovering machine appear in this figure; However, the figure is illustrative of the relative position of parts of the cover blank and shell at the operative stage illustrated in plan in Fig. 4.

Fig. 12'is a schematic, vertical, axial cross section of the apparatus showingthe'relative positions of the various elements omittingthe crosshatching at' the first level'of the brushes and on the vertical shaft.

Fig. 13 is anenla'rged' detail viewof theb'rush mounting.

Ma'chines'of the type described'in' U. S. Patent No. 691,329 are normally adapted to cover'box' shells having right parallelopipedonalshape. The" operation of such machines in cov'eringibox shells of this shape is briefly, described in my co-pending application for United'States patent mentioned above. The operation-of the umnodified machine as well as its construction is so well known to those skilled in the art of covering. boxes that herein Ishall described only enoughof 'the operation and construction to enable onesk'illed in the art to understand the operationa'nd method of mounting the attachment of'the present invention.

Machines of type describedcom'prisemeans for carrying a box shell, with the'cover adhering to the bottom thereof, bottom fii'st through mechanism arranged tofold the projecting parts of-the cover blank against the s'idesof the shell and to aflix them thereon; and alsoto turn or tuck in, with respect to the open top of the shell, the upwardly projecting parts of the-cover blank, so

that these parts may then be next folddinto the shell and aihxed'to the inner sidesthereof.

Preparatory to operation of the machine to apply a cover blank to a shell, the shell-'isplaced, usually by hand, bottom-downward on the central portion of the flat cover blank, the latter having adhesive coating on its upper surface, i. e.,.

plunger, which is well known; I showa blockl I;

which is shaped likea'n octagonalpris m instead of like a parallelopiped, as is usually the case.

The block H is seen in plan in Figs. 1, 4, 5, and 10; but the plunger is not even indicated in section.

In the machine, somewhat beneath the plunger mentioned above is another coaxial plunger having at its upper end a horizontally disposed plate. When the machine is set in operation the upper plunger descends, carrying the block, shell, and cover blank with it; when the under surface of the cover blank engages the upper surface of the plate the two plungers then descend as a unit with the plate,-.cover blank shell and-block between them'. obviouslyathet'wo plungers and the block and plate serve together as a means for positively holding the box-forming elements in proper position during the box-covering operation. The plate -is-usually shaped like the bottom 01" the shell; thus, in my attachment, I provide a plate having the shape of an octagon of dimensions substantially equal to those of the octagonal bottomofthe shell involved.

The cover blank and shell are carried down between a pair of horizontally disposed opposing rollers which normally operate, in the unmodified' machine, to" fold upwardly and to a'flix to thesides 'of' the shell oppositely. projecting side walhfor'ining parts of thecoverblank. If such" parts are provided? with. corner-lapplng tabs means normally 'pre's'entorrthem'achine next op-' erate to foldsuch corher lappirigtabsaround the side-wall corners of theish'ell aiid'to aflix such tabs.

of folding and 'aflixingithetwo remaining side wall-forming partsof thecover' blank. It will be obvious, of course, that the immediate foregoing the lower'plunger, and members known as turn in, or tuck in, fingers (of. supra) advance centripetally, with respectto the'shell, upon such edges, a'n'd'b'endthem from a'vertical disposition toa horizontal one;.iafter' such fingers are ret'ra'cted the shell a'n'd block are again brought together, such action-eifecting'a further (inward) folding of the-edges'"and'their fixation to the inside of" the shell'walls. Thebox is then, of course, complete, and b'y'means well known in the art,.is ejected from the machine, which is then-ready fora next b'ox coveringloperation,

Theplate is nowhere-shown in the present drawings. but willbeunderstoo'd, .irLFigs. 1, 4, 5, and 10, to'b'e just beneath the shell.

To facilitate understandingof the attachment of 'the present inventionLnow describe more par- I ticularly the structur'eandshape of the type of shell and coverblank relating to the type of i box to befihis'hedby the machinezwhen modified-by ates only to cover aboxshell-and-not to form the same during a box covering operation. Thus the shell is ordinarily preformed by hand before Next thecov'er 'blank' and shell are carried down, further, betweenfa similar pair of rollers set at tothe' flrstpa'iifor the purpose f the covering operation, and is also generallyprovided with a stay of some sort to hold it in shape prior to covering.

Fig. 8 shows, in perspective, a finished box in the shape of an octagonal prism. This shape is substantially the shape of the preformed shell; The shell blank is usually die cut and scored by machinery. In the case of a shell for a box having octagonal prismatic shape, the flat blank would roughly resemble an octagon: the central portion, presently to become the bottom of the shell, would be actually an octagon; the side-wallforming parts would be rectangular tabs on each side of the octagonal bottom portion. Thus, of course, the blank would have eight such sidewall-forming parts or tabs. These being bent in a common direction at 90 to the bottom portion, a shell of octagonal prismatic shape would result; however, this shape would, of course, be unstable, and some sort of stay is desirable. A belt or strap, of Width substantially equal to the side-wall height of the shell, and of length substantially equal to the periphery of the shell sidewalls, is usually, and preferably, placed over the shell to prevent the side-wall-forming parts from unbending and so deforming the shell.

In Fig. '7 I have shown, in a fragmentary perspective view, part of a b-eltor strap-stayed shell having the shape of an octagonal prism. The belt, or strap, is designated as B, the shell itself as S. The belt B is usually made of the same material as the shell blank itself, say, paper board, and is usually formed by bending a strip of material so that the ends meet, abutting, and are stayed by an adhesive tab; in other WOlds, a strip is usually given seven bends at equally spaced stations of position, so that the finished, stayed strip is a hollow octagonal prism.

It will be obvious that application of the cover to the shell operates further to reinforce and stay the shell.

The flat cover blank is shown in Fig. 2, and is designated C. The octagonal central portion of the blank is substantially equal in size and shape to'the octagonal central portion of the shell blank plus the thickness of the surrounding belt B. The cover blank C is provided with eight side-wall-forming parts, each of which is larger in what may be called height than a corresponding side-wall-forming part of the shell blank, so that, in the finished box, the edges of the side-wall-forming parts of the cover blank C may be folded over the tops of the side-walls of the shell, as shown in Fig. 8.

Four of these side-wall-forming parts of the cover blank C are mere rectangles without corher-lapping tabs, and are designated I2, I2, I2, I2. The other four parts are provided with cornerlapping tabs, as seen in Fig. 2, and are designated I3, I3, I3, I3. That portion of'each part I2 which, in the finished box, engages the outer surface of a side-wall of the shell, is designated I2a; similarly, the corresponding portion of any part I3 is designated I3a. That portion of any part I2 which, in the finished box, engages the inner surface of the shell, is designated I2b'; similarly, the corresponding portion of any part I3 is designated 131). Any corner-lapping tab is designated I30, for such tabs exist only on part I3. Thus it is seen in Fig. 2 that three species of fold or bend lines exist in the cover blank C. These are usually scored on the blank at the time the same is die cut to shape. The fold line between the central portion of the blank and any side-Wall-forming part is designated as F1; the

fold line of any part that corresponds to the top.

edge of a side-wall o'fthe' shell is designated F2;

and "the fold line of any corner-lapping tab designated Fa. I

In a covering operation belt B, and acover blank C, the preformed belt' stayed shell is bonded to the central (octagonal) portion of the cover blank in the usual manner;

and the shell, with the cover blank adhering to are not adapted for use with such a shell. How-- ever, it should be pointed out that at least four of the side-walls of the shell S may be positioned inthe directions normally assumed by said-walls of parallelopipedonal shells. This is of importance in the operation of my attachment.

Thus, in mounting my attachment on such a machine I first remove the normal four-square block from the. upper plunger and the normal four-square plate from the bottom plunger, all four rollers, and all four of the turn in fingers. I also remove, the means normally provided for folding and affixing corner-lapping tabs.

In a box covering operation on such a machine the first folding and affixing operation with respect to side-wall-forming parts of the cover blank involves those parts having corner-lapping tabs. This, of course, is so that the next operation may fold and aflix these tabs so that in the third operation the remaining side-wall-forming parts may be affixed over such tabs and so render the finished box more uniform externally.

Thus, in the attachment of the present invention I mount upon the brackets providedon the machine as mounts for the first pair of rollers that assembly of parts illustrated in Fig. 4.

This assembly of parts comprises a frame, posi-. tioned horizontally on the machine beneath the upper plunger and centrally disposed with respect to the axis of the plunger, made up of two L- shaped members 30 and 3 I, and of other members more particularly described below. The member 30 is provided with slots 32, 33, and 34 to facilitate its attachment to the machine, as by bolts, such as 34a. Similarly, member 3| is provided with slots 32a, 33a, and 34a. The L-shaped members 30 and 3I are seen to be alike except that each is opposite hand to the other.

Attached to one arm of L-shaped member 30 is a bracket 35 projecting inwardly with respect to the frame. At the inner end of the bracket 35 is a pivotally mounted holder 36 fora brush 31. The brush 3! is prevented by means not illustrated, such as a convenient detent on bracket 35, from dropping out of the position illustrated in Fig. 4; but the brush may be raised. Also, attached to the corresponding arm of L-shape'd member 3| is a bracket 38 projecting inwardly with respect to the frame, and opposing bracket 35. At the inner end of bracket 38 is another pivotally mounted holder 39 for a brush All. Brush 40 may be raised but not lowered from the position shown in Fig. 4. It will be seen in Fig. 4 that the ends of the filaments of these two brushes are in opposition across the center of the frame, and that the ends of the filaments of each brush are in a vertical plane.

Attached .to the other arm of L-shaped member 30 adjustable bracket 4|; and opposing involving a, shell s, with this bracketacrosszthementenofrtheframe isl811:3

other; adjustablezbrackehsimilar. tobracketzll ex: cept that. thetwo brackets: are rotated1180f. with;- respect to each other. Bracket 4I may ,be. .vari-. ously positioned; on the tum-Off. L -shaped' member 36 and locked: thereon by; means of: a. bolt; 4111.; which passes through av slot. 4'Ih in saidbrackat; Adjustably mounted on..bracket. .4I;.so .asrtoi he; variously positioned at 90:to; the: directionpfrmo: 1 tion available to said. bracket, is; an; arm 42 atthe. innerend of: which is'a pivotally mounted. holder; 42a for a brush 43. Thebracket similar. to bracket: 4 I: on the, corresponding arm of. L-shapedzmembet-II .acrosslthe center of the frame is designated 44; Bracket 4'4 may be. variously positionedom the arm of Leshapedt member 1H,. and: locked. thereon. by means .of. a bolt 44awhich passes. through a slot him saidbracketh Adjustably mounted onbracket 44 so asto bevariouslyposie tioned at: 90 tothe direction of motion. available, to bracket 44 is an arm 45 at the-innenend-of a which is a pivotally mounted-holder 45a. fora brush46'.-

Brushes 43 and 46.are-prevented iromsdropping out of'the positionsillustrated in Fig. 4 but both brushes may beraised. It will be seeminFig. 4. thattheends: of the filamentsofbrushes. and- 48: are in opposition across the center-of the frame, and the ends of the filaments of each brush arein a vertical plane.

Now, it willbe obvious that the four brushes may be-adjusted so as to define, speaking with.re,-. spect to the ends of their filaments, incompletely afour-square space throughwhich the box-formin; elements may be passed, and sothatathese brusheswill operateto-engagefold upwardly, and afllx to the shell each alternate side-wall-forming; part of the cover blank C. Specifically, Fig. 4 il-. lustrates that stage in the box covering operation obtaining just after this operation is complete. Notice that, with the block I I and the surrounding box forming elements B, C, and S passing downward between the brushes, brushes 31, 40,

43, and 45 are respectively engagingand aflixing' side-wall forming parts I3, I3, I3, I3. of cover blank C. Side-wall-forming parts I2, I2, I2, I2 are passing between the ends of the brushes and remain horizontal; also, the brushes have. not folded and aflixed the eight corner-lapping tabs I3c. The brushes are preferably'so positioned that the respective planes of their filament ends are normally somewhat nearer the center of. the frame than the outer surfaces of the side-walls of the shell will be when the box formingelements are passed between the brushes so that the filaments are slightly deflected. asthe elements pass by causing the brushes. tosweepthe side-wallforming parts against the side-walls of the shell under tension.

After the box forming. elements have passed through the frame illustrated in Fig. 4sit is then desired to fold and aflix the corner-lapping tabs I of side-wall-forming parts I3, I3, I3, I3..

Machines of the type described are provided with a pair of horizontally disposed bars, oppositely positioned on the machine, and beneath and parallel to the first pair of afilxing rollers. These bars are arranged tomove horizontally toward each other a predetermined, distance immediately after the box forming elements have passed between the first pair of aflixing rollers :forthe purpose of carrying against the corners of par..- allelopipedonal box shells bladesor like-members arranged to fold andaflix corner-lappingtabs.

On these .bars. 1 whichuarezdesixnaied. in; F188... 1

andzlQLi zihandrzi'. I: museums: ttachment; thatassemblyof parts. stressed o. ioldeand in one operation, the eight comer-lapping tabs of acover blankC...

Thisassemb1yof=par so e. a ac m nt is n.p1an.in..bothFis.-. and. n He 10, e terms; showing .the. pa ts; insn r a nop r v p sitionuand: thelatter-sh wins e. par n extr me. p rative-positions F re. lrther ra u tr es: that;stase.;.0f: the box. ov rin pe ion; j t. 5+ mediatelyxafter the box, fo m e eme s ha e Passed: throu h. t e heme il us r ted. n

and. immediately. before the sta ust d. n;

Fi 10. The. assemblyx fipart for old v and; aflixin the cQ h pp ngtabs stri ympri s. two assemblies which; are alike; except that each i up sitehand to. th th r. husthe. 1659 7. 91 tion. of thatthalf, of: the entire assembly. to the, rightin Fig.1 or Fig. l0; g i ..enin detaiLwill serve, in essence,;as. adescription of thathalf of the en;- tlre assembly to the leftin thefigures.

In Figs. .1 and 10', atone end of bar 20 isan adjustable bracket 5!! locked on said bar by means; of set screws 5I and 52a. Pivotally mounted at 53; on bracket 5 II.is an arm-54 That, the effective length of the arm. 5.,4 may be varied a number of; spaced holes.55 are provided near the. end that is pivotally mounted onthe bracket. It will be, no,- ticed that the. arm 54 .is.mountedon the underside of the bracket, which isto say, underneath the bar 20.. At the inner endofiarm 54is a holder 56 for abrush 51;

At. the corresponding, i. e., righthand, end of the .bar. .2 I is .anadjustable. bracket 58 :locked on saidzbar by means of setscrews. 59 and 60 Pit.- otally mounted at 6t on bracket 58 isan arm 62.. That. the effective lengthof the arm 62 may be, varied a.numb er of spaced holes 53' are provided near the end that is pivotally mounted on the bracket. 58.. It will be noticed that. the armi2 is mounted on the topside of the bracket 58, which is tosay, over. the bar 2I.. Atthe inner end: of arm 62-iis a. holder 64.for a brush 8,5.

Pivotally. and slidably mounted at 56 on bracket 5015 a slotted bar 61; and similarly mounted at, 68 vonbracket 58. is another slotted bar 6!. Bar 61 is mounted on the topside of bracket how-.. ever the, bar. isofiset so that. it. may freely pass beneath thearm 62. Within a slot. 10in, arm 62 ridesaheaded stud II fixed to and protrude ing. upwardly from bar 51. The head of the stud prevents the same from dropping out. ofthe slot 'lII, and serves to link the arm 62 and the bar 61 together as a bridg not. free. to. sagappreciably but. free to assume a variety of positions in a horizontal plane.

Bar 6.9 is. mountedto the underside of bracket 58; however the bar is oiIset. so that it may pass freely over the arm 54. Within a slot I2 in arm 54ridesa headed stud I3 fixed to and protruding downwardly from bar 69. The head of thestud I3: (not, visible), prevents arm 54, from sagging materially at its inner end, and likewise, serves to link the arm 54 and bar 69 together 8, bridge, which, however, is free to assume a variety f. po it s in: a hor ontal plane...

Arm54 passes free beneatharm 62; bar may p ss ov r rm 5 and bar 69. m y p ss beneath arm 62, as seen in Fig. 10, the extreme operative positiqnfll view."

At the end of bar 61 away from, he tud, II; a ho err a u h nd. a e end or bar away from the stud I3 is a holder I6 for abrush A l. tour brushes. araat the, same lei/firm?! withstanding the varying levels of the supporting elements, the individual shape of each holder being such as to compensate for the difference in level of the several supporting elements, i. e., the arms and bars.

That half of the assembly to the left in Figs. 1 and 10 may be an exact duplicate of the half to the right, described above. For this reason I designate like corresponding parts of the half of the assembly to the left in the figures by indices duplicating the reference numbers of parts described above, with an e following the numbers, thus: 50c, 5Ie, etc.

The parts of the entire assembly are positioned normally as shown in Fig. 1. As the box forming elements are passed beneath the frame illustrated in Fig. 4 into the middle of the assembly illustrated in Fig. 1, all side-wall-forming parts I3, of cover blank C, have been folded upwardly and affixed to their respective side-walls of the shell (i. e., strictly, such side-wall-forming parts I3 have been affixed to the outer surface of the belt B opposite such respective side-walls of the shell S). However. at this stage, none of the cornerlapping ta-bs I 30 have been bent with respect to the related parts I3, as shown in Fig. 1.

When the box forming elements are positioned substantially as shown in Fig. 1 the two bars 20 and 2| operate, in machines of the type described, to approach each other at 90? to their respective axes. Fig. 10 shows the bars and the parts supported thereon in the position of farthest movement of the bars. As the bars 20 and 2| approach each other, the brush 5'! at the end of arm 54, for example, approaches bar 2|; however, as the stud I3 of bar 69 resists a movement of arm 54 in a direction normal to bars 20 and 2|, bar 69 is also set in motion relative to bar 2|. The end of bar 69 being slotted at the pivotal mount at 68 on bracket 58, as shown, the bar can both rotate slightly and move with arm 54". The operation tends, due to the angular relationship of the arm 54 and bar 69 and to the shape of slot I2. to cause stud I3 to ride into an end of slot I2 as shown in Fig. 10. Thus brushes 5! and I1 move toward each other as indicated in Fig. 1 by the arrows, and ultimately are positioned with respect to each other as shown in Fig. 10. In moving thus each brush sweeps a corner-lapping tab I30 of a side-wallforming part I3, and folds the tab around the corner of the wall of the shell, or, strictly, around the bend of the belt relating to such corner, and so afiixes the tab.

It will be obvious from the foregoing that the pair of brushes 65 and I4 operates similarly, as do the pairs 5Ie and He, and 65c and and Me. Thus, in one movement of the bars 20 and 2|, all eight corner-lapping tabs of the parts I3 of the cover blank C are folded and afiixed.

Fig. 1 shows all such tabs I30 unfolded; Fig. 10 shows them folded and afiixed. Of course, at the stage illustrated in Fig. 10 the parts I2, I2, I2, I2 of the cover blank still have not been disturbed.

After the afiixing of the corner-lapping tabs the box forming elements are carried still farther downward by the machine to the position normally occupied by the second pair of affixing rollers. Here, in my attachment, I provide a Pair of brackets, one each on the normal bracket provided for supporting one roller of'such second pair. This arrangement is illustrated in Fig. in plan, from above. I show four brushes |00, IOI, I02, and I03, which are similar to the brushes 31, 40, 43, and 46 of the frame illustrated in Fig. 4. The brushes I00 and I02 are respectively held by holders I04 and I05, which are pivotally and resiliently mounted on bracket I06, which, in turn, is adjustably mounted on that bracket for one of such second pair of aflixing rollers to the left in Fig. 5; and the brushes IOI and I03 are respectively held by holders I01 and I08, which are pivotally and resiliently mounted on bracket I09, which, in turn, is adjustably mounted on the other bracket, i. e., that to the right in Fig. 5, for the other of such second pair of afiixing rollers.

The brushes I00, IOI, I02, and I03 are mounted, as shown, in Fig. 5, so as to engage the diagonally disposed side-wall-forming parts I 2, I2, I2, I2 of the cover blank 0. These brushes may not drop from the position shown in the figure, but, like brushes 3?, 40, 43, and 46, may be slightly raised; the ends of the filaments of any brush (in Fig. 5) normall are in a vertical plane, such plane being at 45 to the corresponding plane defining the ends of the filaments of any of the brushes in Fig. 4. Preferably, also, the planes defining the ends of the filaments of the four brushes of Fig. 5 are somewhat closer to the center of the path of the box forming elements during the box covering operation than the outsides of the belt of the shell so that, as the box forming elements descend through the assembly shown in Fig. 5 the side-wall-forming parts I2, I2, I2, I2 are folded and afiixed to the shell, or belt, with a sweeping motion under tension. The brush-holders of Fig. 5 may be pivotally and resiliently mounted in any of a variety of equivalent ways: in dotted lines, indicates a compression spring related to holder I01, the holder I0! being pivotally mounted at mm. The illustration of a brush holder in Fig. 13 may be taken as typical of all brush-holders in Figs. 4 and 5.

As the box forming elements pass through the assembly shown in Fig. 5 the side-wall-forming parts I2, I2, I2, I2 are folded upwardly and affixed to the shell, or belt, and each such part I2 overlaps two corner-lapping tabs I3c. In Fig. 9, a fragmentary perspective detail showing a corner of the finished box, with portions of two adjacent side-wall-forming parts I2 and I3 torn away so that the structure beneath may be, seen, the overlapping of the corner-lapping tab I30 by part I2 is clearly illustrated.

After the box forming elements have passed through all stages of the box covering operation heretofore described, and illustrated serially in Figs. 4, 1, 10, and 5, in the order named, the condition of the box, as a whole, is then, as follows:

All parts I2 and I3 have been engaged and folded upwardly by brushes, and all portions I20! and I3a of the parts I2 and I3 respectively have been aflixed properly to the outside of the shell, and, of course, all corner-lappingtabs have been properly folded and aflixed. But all portions I21) and I3b of the cover blank C now project vertically above the top edge of the shell. The next operation, obviously, involves the use of turn in, or tuck in, fingers.

As the machine itself is arranged to eifect withdrawal" of the block, e. g., II, from the shell during the turning in, or tucking in, operation, it is necessary in applying my attachment to the machine merely to substitute for the normal fingers provided for handling parallelopipedonal boxes other fingers specially suited to the shape of box'previously described.

Thus, as shown in: planiand. hardly morethan schematically inFig. 6,.I substitute for two opposing; fingers anotherpai-roffingers I20 and I2! having-the-rectangular shape of fingers ordinarily used with parallelopipedonal boxes but havingria frontal length corresponding to that or oneside-of the octagonal prismatic box. For the-other two fingersI substitutefingers I22 and I23 havingfacesshapedto accord with three consecutive sides of the octagonal prismatic box, as is-sclearly-shown ins-the: figure. These special fingersoperate similarly to the ordinary fingers, except that fingers I20 and I2! engage each the edgeiofr-a part I 3 ofucover blank C, and, in movingscentrrpetallywith respect to thebox forming elements, fold the. portions'lsb. of these parts over the top. edge ot-the shell and so dispose them horiozntally; andat-the same time, the fingers I22 and. I23 engageeach the edges of a part |3 and.oftwo. parts 12- of cover blank C, and, in, moving; centripetally with, respect to the boxnforming elements,fold .-portions [3b and l2b of. these partsover-thetop edgaof the shell and so.dispose them horizontally. Thepractice, in the-art, of-.raising.slightly the corner of two opposing-pair otfingersso-that they will override, the-edges ofthe other two opposing pair, is well. known. After the fingers are-retracted, the. block. and. box forming elements are brought togetheragaimthe entry of :the.block into the shell. effecting. a foldinginwardly'of all portions I2b and I 3b, andtheafiixing-of these portions tot-theinner surfaces of the side-walls of the shell Then,.of course, the box -is.complete.

. The..next..operation-of themachine, which is standard. istheraisingcf: both coaxial plungers to original positions,-. At. a certain stage the lower plunger is arrestedin itsascent, at which. stage ejectorsforcethecompletedbox. off the block; thenthe blockwith its upper plunger continues to ascend; and other ejectors throw the box out of..-the\machine-.-that is to say, oft. the -plateto one, side. Whensthe'. completedbox: is passing. upward:.throughthe brushes1 I00, IBI, 102, and l03.(see.Fig..5-) and thevbrushess 31, .40, 43, and 4li=.'(see Fig; 4)., these brushes are again engaged, anditisdesirable that. they be so mounted that they maybe easily forced .upward slightly and out-ofthe path ofthe box bythe top edges of theblock or topedgesof the completedboxitself, In this respect the mounting'of the'brushes has been previously described-.-: Of course the completed box does. not engage, during ,its ascent. any oftheparts illustrated in.Figs.- 1 and 10, as these..par.ts. havethenreturnedto normal vor inoperative position...

Fig... 11. is .av fragmentary perspective detail. of two corners and of one side and of partsof. two. adjacent sidesof the box in processof being covered. No parts of the .attachment or of the machineareshown: here. Fig. 11 illustrates the condition of the box just afterthebox formingele'ments .have: passedthrough the. frame: illustratedin Fig. 4.

It will .be..understood, of course, that throughout, in the foregoing, while-.shell has been used. to. designate the .folded shell blankspecifically, from time to time, it has also beenemployed to designate the. assembly. comprising the specific shell S. and..the belt B as a unit. of course, where. a.belt-.is. used-to hold the shell blank in shaperthe. side-wall-forming partsof the cover blank. areexteriorly :afilxedinot to the shell blank proper, butto thebelt itself, and interiorly to the actual inner. surface of. the vertically disposed side-wall-forming parts-ofthe shell-blank. The.

12 belt isle. convenience; obviouslythel actual. shell blank :could bestayed by adhesive tabs at each oftheeight corners. For the purposes of the present invention, the attachment is arranged to adapt a machine of the type describedto apply a cover blankrto a shell, of whatever construction, thathas the shapeof an octagonal prism.

I claim:

1.. In an. attachment. for. anmachine arranged to cover a box. shell presented bottom-first to the covering mechanism thereof, saidshell having a fiat cover blank-adhering to the bottomrthereof, and said attachment adaptingrthamachine to cover:a box shell having the shapeof. an octagonal prism, eight brushes, positioned.- in the path of said-shell so as-to engage side-wall-forming'parts of said cover blank and to effect sweeping toward and aifixing to saidishell ofsaid side-wall-forming parts, said brushes being arrangediin groups of four attwo levels. so that the first group engages each. alternate side wall-forming part and thesecond group engages the remainingsidewall forming parts.

2. Inan attachment for a machine arranged to; cover a. box shell presented'bottom-first to the covering mechanism thereof, said shell having a flat cover blank adheringto the bottom thereof, said attachment adaptingsaid machine to cover a boxv shell having the shape of" an octagonal prism, and said cover blankv having eight sidewall-forming partsprojecting outwardly beyond the bottom of said shell, eight brushes positioned in. thepath' of said shell and: of said eight sidewall-forming parts of saidcover blank so as to engage saidside-wall-formingparts and to effect sweeping toward and afllxing to said shell of said parts, the. filaments of said brushes being deflected by the bottom of said shell, and said brushes being arranged in groups of four at two difierent levelsso. that the first group engages each. alternate side-wall-formingpart of said cover blank and. that the. second group engages the remaining side-wall-forming parts, each such brush being. pivotally mounted on said machine sothat each may be moved out of thepath of said shell. when. the. latter moves relative to said brushes oppositely to theoriginal direction of said shell.

3.v In a machineforcovering a box shell introduced downwardly therein bottom. first with a cover blank having eightside-wall forming tabs four thereof-having corner-lapping tabs adheringto said, bottom, an attachment adapting said machine to cover a box shell having the shape of an octagonal. prism, said, attachment comprising an upperfr'ame, with four brushes mounted thereon, and engaging and sweeping against certain side-walls. of said shell during descent of said shell four of saidside-wall forming tabs having corner lapping tabs: four pairs of movable brushes. and means for moving said movable brushes intoengagement with said corner lapping tabs for engaging and sweeping said corner lapping: tabs against other'side-walls of said shell; two opposing brackets each having mounted thereonv twodiagonally disposedbrushes, said brushesengaging and sweepingagainst said other side-walls of said shell the other four side-wall forming tabs; and four turn-in fingers, two having straight-edges and the other two having recessed edges composed of consecutive straight sections conforming to threeconsecutive sidewallsof saidshell.

4.. Inan, attachment. for a box covering machine,; saidattachment :adaptingzthe machine to cover an eight-sided box shell having a cover blank adhering to the bottom thereof, said blank having eight side covering tabs four of which have corner lapping tabs, means for aflixing four of said side covering tabs to said shell and a second means for afiixing the other four of said side covering tabs to said shell. four pairs of movable brushes, and means for moving said movable brushes into engagement with said corner lapping tabs for engaging and sweeping said corner lapping tabs against certain side-walls of said shell after the first four of said side covering tabs have been affixed to said shell by said machine and before the second four of said side covering tabs have been so afiixed.

MARTIN V. SILBY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 Number Name Date 1,829,063 Seokendorf Oct. 27, 1931 2,246,858 Phelps June 24, 1941 

